Lined bearing member and method of forming same



Nov. 10,193.1d

. SHORT y 1,831,325

LINED BEARING MEMBER AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed March 1I 1925 Awe. mf? s @L @Het mj l Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES CHARLES R.SHORT, OF DAYTON, HIO

LINED BEARING MEMBER AND METHOD OF .FORMDIG SAME Application led March1, 1926. Serial No. 91,505.

In my Patent No. 1,711,000, issued April 30, 1929, I have described amethod of making parts of metals which are only slightly malleable, suchas aluminum or aluminum alloys,

which possess many points of advantage over prior methods of workingmetals of this class. As set forth in that specification by firstcasting the article to the approximate shape desired and then subjectingit to heavy pressure as by forging or rolling I secure a strong densemolecular structure whichl is not weakened by flaws such as are producedwhen metals possessing the above characteristics are shaped by forgingonly. By this 16 process I secure also a smooth finished surface in-contrast to the rather rough, pitted surface which is characteristic ofcasting, and 'there is at the same time suicient How of metal to fill upany small interior cavities 20 which may be produced in the castingopera tion.

The present application has to do with ar ticles made according to theprocess just described but is also of a broader application. Theinvention consists, in its broadest aspect, in making a lined bearingmember by casting the member about the liner. This of coursenecessitates that the liner be of a material which is not melted at thepouring tempera- 3o ture of the metal forming the back. Thus I may makeuse of a plain or porous bronze liner and a backing of aluminum alloy.IVhile the resulting bearing member ma be used in this form, first beingsubjecte to some finish machining operations, I have found it desirableto improve the bearing by compacting the metal of the back after themanner described in my prior application. In addition to producing adensication of the molecular structure of the back this operationresults in an improved heat conducting bond between the liner and theback and, from another point of View, my invention includes within itsscope the generic idea of forming a good bond between a bearing linerand a bearing member by the application of heavy pressure to the latter.In carrying out my process in its preferred form, the casting, which hasbeen lined in the manner just described, is subjected to heavy pressureas by a forging operation. To prevent distortion of the liner the latteris fitted over studs which hold it against collapse. The effect-of theforging loperation is that described in my prior application; in otherWords, a desirable densification of the molecular structure of themetal, while at the same time` the liner is more firmly gripped andseated in the bearing member improving the Contact between the liner andback so that heat is more readily conducted away from the bearing. Ifdesired, I may employ liners of porous bronze composition knowncommercially as Durex bearings"`; these liners serving to retain aconsiderable self lubricating.

As a. further adaptation of this invention I may employ the methoddescribed in the making of lined bearing segments. In this case I placea plurality of segmental liners` in a mold and cast the back about themas before. After the material of the back has been compacted asdescribed I may sever the back and segments and thus produce a splitbearing member.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a connecting rod embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation. i Figure 3 is a plan view of the finishedar ticle.

I have selected for illustration a connecting rod 2 provided with abushing or liner 4 at one end and segmental liners 6 at the other. Theseliners are, as previously described, placed in the mold and theconnecting rod is cast about them. While the connecting rod whichconstitutes the bearing back may be of any suitable material my' processis particularly applicable to the treatment of connecting rods made ofaluminum or aluminum alloy, such as aluminum silicon. I have indicatedin dotand-dash lines in Figures 1 and 2 the approximate shape of theconnectingrod before the forging operation, the shape of the rod afterthe forging operation being indicated by full lines. In the forgingoperation the bearing apertures encircle studs provided in the forgingdie so as to kprevent distortion of the lining.

quantity of oil and being thus As shown, the forging effects anov'er-all reduction in the size of the connecting rod and produces astrong, compact molecular structure.

Figure 3 indicates the connecting rod after it has been subjected tomachining operations such as drilling of the holes 8, and trimming ofthe rough edges which result from forging. I have indicated at 10 thecut which will next bc made in the big end bearing in order to produce aseparable bearing cap 12 to permit ythe application of the connectingrod to the crank shaft in the usual manner.

'While I have chosen a connecting rod for purposes of illustration, itis apparent that my improved process may be employed in the manufactureof various bearing members. IVhiie the process is described inconnection with a bearing member of aluminum or aluminum alloys it is.of course, susceptible of application in the manufacture of bearingmembers of any of the metals or alloys suitable for this purpose.

I claim:

l. The method of securing a good heat conducting bond between a linerand a bearing member-which consists in placing the lined bea-ring in adie shaped to lit the liner and compacting the bearing member about theliner by the application of heavy pressure .to the said member so as tocause the member to approach finished shape as Well as assume a densemolecular structure.

2. The method of forming a lined split bearing member which consists incasting the bearing member about the entire lining at one operation andthen severing the bearing member and lining to produce bearing segments.

3. In the method as defined by claim 2, the additional step ofcompacting the said mem- 8. The method of making a lined bearing member,which consists in preparing a liner of substantially nished dimensions,m0unting the liner in a suitable mold, casting the member about theliner, and working the member under pressure so as to cause it toapproach finished shape and to give to it a dense molecular structureinsuring a good lloiealt conducting bond between the liner and ac r.

9. A lined bearing member consisting of a porous bronze liner and abacking cast about the liner and compacted thereabout by the applicationof heavy pressure thereto.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES R. SHORT'.

ber about the liner by the application of pressure prior to theseveringr operation.

4. The method of forming a lined split bearing which consists inpreparing a plurality of lining segments, mounting the segments in asuitable mold, casting the member about the segments and then severingthe bearing member and segments.

5. A bearing assembly consisting of a liner and a bearing member castabout the liner` and compacted thereabout by the application ofpressure.

6. A bearing assembly consisting of a liner and a backing of a materialwhich is not readily formed by forging, the backing material being castabout the liner and compacted thereabout by the application of pressure.

7. A bearing assembly consisting of a liner and a bearing member`compacted about the liner into the desired size and shape by theapplication of heavy pressure.

